Telling Tales exhibition, Victoria & Albert Museum, London
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Telling Tales: Fantasy and Fear in Contemporary Design
David Lambert Download Original
Contemporary Design exhibition space for Telling Tales titled 'Fantasy and Fear in Contemporary Design', which ran from July to October 2009 at the Victoria & Albert museum
The architect worked closely with lighting designer Zerlina Hughes at ZNA Consultancy to create a series of theatrical spaces that became stage sets for objects on display.
The exhibition was a continuous and direct journey through three distinct zones: the Forest Glade, the Enchanted Castle and Heaven and Hell. Each section houses design objects selected by the curator Gareth Williams around a common theme within their designs. Each area has been treated in a distinct way – with varying choices of images, form and lighting to carefully consider and to reinforce the theme and their display mechanism.
This includes a series of transparent screens of abstract trees; a mirrored room and large graphic decorative motifs as wallpaper and floor; and darkened corridors with slowly moving video on the ceiling, with slot windows that allow fragmented views of the objects behind.
Data
- Begun: Jun 2009
- Completed: Jul 2009
- Floor area: 330m2
- Sector: Arts and culture
- Total cost: £75,000
- Procurement: V&A standard contract direct with contractor
- Address: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road , London, SW7 2RL, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Nissen Adams
- Project architects: Pippa Nissen, Zerlina Hughes
- Client: Victoria and Albert Museum
- Structural engineer: Tom Steel, Heyne Tillet Steel
- Main contractor: Factory Settings
- Lighting design: Zerlina hughes at ZNA Consultancy
- Curator: Gareth Williams
- Photographic banners: Greiger
- Sound: Luminous Frenzy